Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 lb andouille sausage
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 dozen raw shrimp, shells off, tails on
• 2 dozen cooked crayfish tails, 6 crawfish reserved, for garnish
• 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
• 2 dozen oysters, shucked
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• hot pepper sauce and file powder, to taste for individual servings

Directions

1. 1

   In a heavy saucepan over medium heat combine flour with vegetable oil to make roux.

2. 2

   Stir continuously to make sure that mixture does not scorch until dark brown color with nutty aroma is achieved.

3. 3

   In heavy stock pot, saute onions, celery, peppers and garlic in peanut oil until vegetables are soft approximately 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes, spices, sausage and chicken stock. Slowly add 2/3 to 1 cup of roux 1 tablespoon at a time.

5. 5

   When proper thickness, add shrimp and cook until opaque. Lower heat and simmer.

6. 6

   Next add crawfish, crabmeat and oysters. Let simmer for another half hour.

7. 7

   serve over rice.